The announcement of the release of a next-generation Tecmo Bowl title for XBOX 360 and PS3 had people buzzing over the weekend with nostalgia for overly simplistic gameplay. But Tecmo Bowl Throwback could do more than just be a cute little break from Madden. It could…could…alter the already-shifting landscape of how videogames are produced and sold.

Consider the plight of 2K Sports’ NHL series, which already has announced that it will not be producing an NHL 2K11 title next fall, but instead will take a year off before releasing NHL 2K12:

EA Sports’ NHL is widely, and justifiably, regarded as the superior product by the sports gaming cognoscenti. A year out of the game for NHL 2K will harden EA NHL’s advantage in that sector, and it’ll also reap the dollars from less discriminating customers who may have bought the competition. But when 2K Sports comes back it’ll probably be fighting for those who don’t buy a hockey game every year, and that’s a market less likely to follow or value the reputations of studios and their ongoing franchises. –Kotaku.

Has the “true simulation” market for sports video games reached its saturation point? If so, that’s great news for the guys releasing the new Tecmo Bowl. Depending on how the game is released, the retro aspect of the game makes it seem like a “can’t miss,” even without NFL licensing. This could be the shift away from super-serious sports games that could bring casual gamers back into the fold. Or it could be marking sports sim apocalypse. Or both. Or neither. It’s hard to know for sure when I haven’t eaten all day.